HR departments, which are challenged to recruit and retain the best people, are the prime movers for implementing an honest and thoughtful employee recognition culture that motivates and rewards employees in a way that extends far beyond material incentives.

Your employees are your company’s most valuable resource, but many organizations still struggle to retain top talent. Some of the best practices for recognizing employees include:

• Establishing solid criteria for work performance
• Recognising people from all areas of operations
• Fostering a recognition culture where informal feedback is frequently offered
• Aligning performance benchmarks with the company’s goals, culture, and succession strategy
• Providing opportunities for advanced training and career development as part of staff recognition

In this article, HRavailable discusses eight ways to help you deal with lack of recognition at work.

1. Analyze the root cause

You need to be sure if your need for appreciation is more of an organizational issue or a personal one. According to a survey, 59% of employees said that recognition for their accomplishments makes them feel that they are a part of the workplace. Analyzing the root cause of the issue will help you decide if you need to work more on yourself or if you need others to be a part of your problem-solving. Finding out whether the problem has to do with your organizational culture, team, manager, or yourself, will help you tackle the issue in a more focused way.

2. Know what you need

No two people are motivated by the same things. In a survey of 1,600 employees, 70% of workers identified opportunities for career growth as a form of recognition, whereas 44% identified rewards and recognition. The remaining 37% identified pay-raise as the key factor. Knowing what constitutes the most effective form of recognition for you is an important prerequisite so that you can communicate the same to those you seek recognition from.

3. Be the first one to appreciate ‘You’

Feeling appreciated or recognized has a lot to do with one’s psyche. 88% of employees say they will stay longer at a workplace where their work is appreciated. So, start dealing with a non-appreciative environment by appreciating yourself. Once you identify what kind of appreciation works best for you, it is easier for you to create the same feeling for yourself. When you are no longer disturbed by the total lack of motivation, you can gradually start communicating your feelings to others.

4. Appreciate others

A positive work environment is a key to achieving higher efficiency. According to Hawthorne studies, a positive working environment is directly related to a company’s productivity. Acknowledge the need for recognition in others and respond to it whenever there is an opportunity. Genuinely appreciating others’ achievements will help you create an open channel that benefits you and your teammates.

5. Evaluate your performance objectively

Insights from a previously conducted survey suggested that workers who feel adequately recognized for their work are half as likely to leave as compared to those who feel that they are not appreciated. For you to know whether you are adequately recognized or not, it is important that you first evaluate your contribution in helping your team achieve its business goals. Consider facts and figures to compare your current performance with that in the past. This assessment will help you further in your discussion with your manager regarding the issue.

6. Communicate with your manager

59% of respondents in a survey say that they don’t receive appreciation from their bosses. Considering that your manager is largely the one to affect your recognition at work, communicating with your manager is one of the most crucial factors in dealing with lack of recognition at work. Speaking up when you think that your work and efforts have gone unrecognized is important. Also, you cannot always expect your manager to know what motivates you. Clearly communicating the factors that make you feel demotivated at work can help you avoid a stressful situation at the workplace.

7. Understand your boss’s perspective

About 80% of middle level employees, 62% of junior level employees, and 50% of senior level employees do not feel that their work is duly recognized. This data shows that lack of recognition at work can exist at almost any level of the hierarchy. It is important that you analyse the root cause, understand your manager’s expectations in terms of work, while you share your own in terms of appreciation. Discuss business goals and the expectations from your role with your manager to achieve it. This will help you do an assumption versus reality analysis to find where things need to be improved. If things do not improve even after you have put in a significant amount of effort, then you need to figure out a different way to solve the issue.

8. Pitch in with your suggestions

It is always good to add your suggestions when you bring up a problem. 63% of employees feel that they do not have any standard work recognition process in place. Share with your manager your view of a good system that recognizes the work of employees. You could come up with ideas such as the weekly announcement of the team’s best performer, an exchange of appreciation notes among team members, a small awards ceremony, etc. while discussing ways to improve recognition at your workplace.

Getting recognized at work is a two-way process. It’s important to focus on the areas where you need to improve and also communicate to your manager when you deserve more than what you are being given. Working on your own towards achieving what you seek from your workplace can help you tackle the disappointment stemming from lack of recognition and grow personally as well.

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